Metal wheel



e. E. WORTH.-

METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1920.

1,388,910, Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

M J UJ %SA TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE n'won'rn, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

METAL WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WORTH,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Metal Wheels; and I do hereby declare the followin to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and tothe reference-numerals marked thereon.

This invention relates to wheels and, more particularly, to theconstruction of metal wheels suitable for use with vehicles of varioustypes, one object being to provide a metal wheel of great strengthcombined with relatively light weight and low cost of manufacture.

Another object is to provide a wheel which may be economically stampedout from sheet metal, and assembled at low. cost, with a disposition andarrangement of parts affording a high degree of resistance, not only toimposed loads, but also to torsional and lateral stresses.

' Still a further object is to provide a wheel of the above characterwhich is readilyadaptable to various uses and is neat and attractive inappearance.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a lateral view of a wheel embodying thepresent invention.

F ig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3 is a section on the line3----3 of Fig. 2, showing an inside view of one half the wheel.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4 -4" of Fig. 3. Fig..5 is an. enlarged detail view of the rim portion of the wheel as shownin Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified form ofconstruction.

Similar reference characters throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

In the embodiment which is at present considered to best illustrate theprinciples of the invention, the wheel comprises a pair of opposedcircular plates or disks of metal, preferably sheet steel, havingperipheral Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A 30 1921Application filed March 5,

1920., Serial No. 363,363.

rim portions 12 and 13, respectively, preferably extending parallel witha plane perpendlcular to the rotational axis of the wheel. The disks aredished toward their central portions, the latter being spaced from eachother and provided with central opemngs 14 forming bearings for the hubportlon of the wheel later to be described. Surrounding the hub portioneach disk has an annular web 15 of substantial width between which andits rim portions of material are punched out, as at 16, leaving spokeformlng strips 17 which are arranged to extend tangentially of the hub15', and are preferably folded at their longitudinal centers to turn thelateral edges inwardly of the wheel. The spoke may be tubular or othershape in cross section but preferably has the shape shown in Fig.4 inwhich the spoke strip is so folded at its center as to bring the lateralhalves into contact with each other, as this shape is believed to pro.-vide a high degree of strength in proportion tothe amount of materialused, as well as to have the advantage among others of presenting anattractive appearance.

Adjacent spokes are alternately'parallel, as spokes 17 and 18, andintersecting, as spokes 18 and 19, and'the intersecting pairs are, ofcourse, integrally united at their intersections 20 betweentheextremities thereof, so that each spoke is substantially stayed orreinforced and stiffened between its ends. The tangential direction ofthe spokes provides for'the suspension of the load from the top of thewheel, whereby the stresses imposed on the spokes by the load aretensional in character, which character of stress the spokes are, ofcourse, best adapted to sustain. Furthermore the tangential arrangementof the up the torsional stresses in the wheel by tensional stresses inthe spokes when the wheel is used as a driving or tractional one. Thedished formation of the component disks and the rigid connection betweenthem hereafter described, as well as the cross sectional form of thespokes, provides a high degree of resistance to lateral stresses.

The disks 10 and 11 are united adjacent their centers and provided withsuitable bearing means for a trunnion or axle, the constructlon atpresent preferred comprising the provision of laterally extendingflanges formed in the disks around the openings flanges provide suitablebearing surfaces for spokes provides for taking a sleeve 23, the ends ofwhich are inserted in the openings of the disk and flanged outwardly asat 24 and 25, respectively, to secure the sleeve in place and the disksto each other, and the engaging portions of the sleeve and disks may, ofcourse, be secured to each other if desired by rivets or welding, orother treatment to increase the rigidity of the structure.

The-rim portion of the wheel may be provided with any suitable form oftread or tread supporting devices depending upon the character of usefor which the wheel is intended. In the present instance the rim of disk11 is formed with a laterally extending flange 26 having at its outeredge an angularly extending ring 27. The other disk 10 has preferably aplain annular rim l2 againstwhich is fitted an auxiliary rim 28 providedwith laterally extending flanges 29 and 30, the latter of which has ananular ring portion 31 similar to ring 27. lhis construction provides asuitable support for the so-called straight-sided tire used onautomobile wheels and the rims, together with the auxiliary rim 28, maybe secured together by means of bolts 32 and nuts 33, the disk rims 12and 13 being additionally secured together by rivets or welding. Byremoving the nuts 33 the auxiliary rim 28 may be removed thus providingthe advantages of a split rim construction facilitating the adjusting ofthe tire on the wheel.

By way of illustration of the various possible modifications andadaptations of the rim portion of the wheel, there is shown in Fig. 6 amodified construction adapted 'for the so-called clencher type ofautomobile tire. In this modification the disks 34 and 35, otherwisesimilar to disks l0 and 11, have their rims secured together at 36, byriveting, welding or other suitable means and the rims are turnedoutwardly as at 37 and 38 and also inwardly at their edges 39 and 40 forthe purpose specified.

A wheel embod ing the princi les of construction herein isclosed may eeconomically stamped up from sheet metal and inexpensively assembled ata very low cost, while the opposed, rigidly connected disks with theirtangentially extending integrally formed and reinforced spokes provide ahigh degree of strength for resisting the various stresses to which aWheel is subjected in use. The present wheel is not only much lessexpensive, but also considerably stronger, as well as somewhat lighterin weight than the inserted wire spoke wheel commonly employed. Theformation of the disks as well as the construction as a wholefacilitates the application of a high degree of finish'to the wheel andthe latter presents a neat and attractive appearance.

I claim as my invention:

1. A metal wheel comprising a pair of sheet metal disks each stamped toform a plurality of integral spokes adjacent ones of which areintegrally connected With each other at a point spaced from theextremities thereof and extend tangentially of the wheel hub on oppositesides thereof to increase the torsional strength, said disks being con-.nected with each other adjacent their peripheries, tread supportingmeans on the peripheries of said disks, and a connection between saiddisks adjacent their hubs.

2. A metal wheel having a rim portion and a hub portion, a pair of sheetmetal disks each connected with said rim and hub portions respectivelyand formed to provide integral spokes arranged to extend tangentially ofthe hub on opposite sides thereof with adjacent spokes crossing andintegrally connected with each other.

3. A metal wheelcomprising a pair of sheet metal disks each having afelly Web and a hub web with the material therebetween punched out toform a plurality of integral spokes adjacent ones of which integrallyintersect each other and extend tangentially of the hub on oppositesides thereof, the felly webs of said disks being connected with eachother, a tread portion on said felly webs, and hub forming meansconnecting said hub webs.

4. A metal wheel comprising a pair of opposed sheet'metal disksconnected at their rims and spaced at their centers, each of said diskshaving portions thereof removed to provide a plurality of spoke stripsarranged to intersect each other and extend eccentrically of the diskcenter, said strips having their lateral edges turned into proximitywith each other, and a bearing portion connecting said disks at theircentersij;

5. A metal wheel comprisingia pair of opposed sheet metal disksconnectedv at their rims and spaced at their centers and each havingannular web portions at its rim and center'with portions of the mater altherebetween removed to form a plurality of tangentially extendingspokes adjacent ones of which are alternately parallel and intersectinga tread portion adjacent the rims of said disks, and a, bearing portionconnecting their centers.

6. A metal wheel coniprising a pair of opposed sheet metaldisks-connected at their rims and spaced at their centers and eachhaving annular web portions at its rim and center with portions of thematerial therebetween removed to form a plurality of spokes extendingtangentially of the disk center and intersecting each other, said spokesbeing substantially U shape in cross section, and a bearing sleevehaving its ends supported in openings at the centers of said disks.

GEORGE WORTH.

